More Than Scars
by I.Dream.Of.Rain
Summary: The Gods Pitied him and for his suffering they rewarded him with a new life as a demi-god. Now, lurking in the forest Ashido meets a young girl, Rukia by chance. But, just maybe, fate picked her to heal his scars...AU AshidoXRukia
1. Meeting of Fate

Due to tragic lack of AshidoXRukia fanfictions here...I decided to focus on creating some myself cause I love the pair=)

So, this story is AU, well it's kind of obvious, anyway enjoy...=)

* * *

Humans are disgusting.

Ha, ironic considering he used to be one. But that, that was many many years ago, decades even. Staring at the slaughtered animal before him, Ashido watched the blood seep from the cut straight across the being's throat. Around the lifeless cow, candles outlined its large body, the shadows of the flames danced across the scarred bark of the trees. Offerings lined the forest floor; the humans placed bowls upon bowls of the most expensive red wine, one pristine white lily floating on the surface of each contained liquid. The whiteness of the lily and the contrast of it to the red vine stood as a mock interpretation of the blood that was seeping out from the whiteness of the animal's neck. Among the bowls of precious alcohol incense were burning, filling the once pined filled sent of the air with a new scent, one of smoke and fake flowers.

He understood why this was a regular event, every week he would receive offerings lined around the newly killed sacrificial animal, its blood flooding the floor of his resting place. Well, it was his resting place; so many years ago it was…back in the time when he used to be human. But, he was no longer human, he was a demi god, a make shift god, living amongst the living. In fact, when he tried his hardest to remember what it was like being human he always failed. Nothing came in mind except the pain and suffering he had achieved before and during the period when he felt his life slip from his grasp. He couldn't remember what it felt like to have a friend, a family, a lover even. Though he did have the occasional sex with random women when he wished to, but that required him to use his human form, and he couldn't stand to see himself in his human form. When he would catch a glimpse of his reflection in the stream or in the shattered glass of wine bottles humans would occasionally liter, he only felt disgust. The face was his, the body was his…but this, this constant reminder of what he once was only brought forth all the memories he wished to destroy.

Ashido shook the anguish from his mind as the smell of blood aroused his hunger, making him sulk his way over to the dead carcass, his nose twitching with anticipation. His claws dug into the dirt around him as he made his way to the meal set out before him. His ears perked up on top his head, on the constant look out for any sounds of life around him, but he was hearing none. The other animals usually stayed clear of him, they knew what he was and that if he wanted to, he could slaughter every single one of them in a split second. The humans knew as much as well, which is why they insisted and obsessed upon providing him gifts and sacrifices, in hopes that they would appease him. Ashido sniffed the dead cow with caution, before clamping his teeth just below the sturdy ribs, ripping and tugging at the flesh, chomping down on the gooey morsel of flesh, fat and organ in his mouth. His teeth sunk into the mouthful as he chewed the meal with pleasure, salivating even more at the delicious taste he was experiencing. Swallowing the first bite, Ashido dove back into the slaughtered animal with haste, tugging and ripping, chewing and swallowing, and repeating the action as bone after white bone was revealed to him, the moonlight reflecting off of them. He growled some against the half eaten body before tilting his head back, his eyes admiring the beauty of the moon above, hanging seductively in the blackened sky. His lips curled back before sliding once more over his sharp white fangs, his mouth opening slightly as he cried out with a loud and long howl, alerting the humans that he was indeed pleased by their gifts. He would return the favor, allowing them to hunt more frequently in his woods, until something or someone displeased him once more…where the whole give and take pattern would reappear between him and the humans.

His howl echoed through the woods, traveling the distance where it would flood into the awaiting human's ears in the nearby village. Ashido squinted and his ears twitched as he heard the cheers and cries of happiness from the villagers, their drums pounding, their flutes hitting high notes in the air. Ashido smirked slightly, well…as much as his wolf body would allow him, before he dove back into his meal, finishing it in a matter of minutes, before he retreated to the task of licking the sticky yet satisfying blood off of the forest floor around the murdered cow. Walking over a cold bowl of wine, Ashido's tongue darted into the liquid, causing ripples in the liquid as he lapped at the sweet alcohol. The wine sated his thirst, making him growl deep in his chest, consuming all the liquid in the bowl, before licking his chops, pacing to the next bowl to drink up more of the sweetness.

Feeling completely satisfied, Ashido growled and smirked at the fullness of his stomach before retreating back into his hiding place as the night was growing lighter with every minute that passed. Yawning, Ashido curled up against his soft moss bedding which he dragged up the tree, placing it into the crook between the trunk and the injured branch as makeshift bedding. Though, he couldn't recall the last time he slept in a bed, it must've been about a year, his mind panicked when he remembered that the full moon jutting out around the leaves in his view, was the same moon he had seen 9 times, the next time, the 10th time…he would revert back to his human form for the remaining two months of the year. Usually, he was able to switch between his wolf form and his human form, but at the 10th full moon, the gods warned him, he would be stuck temporarily in his human form. He didn't dare question their wisdom or ask for any favors, he knew his place…he knew they pitied him, they brought him back from the dead, they reawakened his soul and spirit. Using their powers, they revived him; they gave him powers in return, for they didn't protect him in life, so they felt they must in death. Ashido chose to not ponder any further, because any further and he would tread upon memories he wished to forget. Gazing up at the white moon, Ashido sighed. He was not looking forward to that time, not at all.

"Ashido…it isn't as if it is a measly physical scar, it is an emotional one of sorts…" the voice protruded his panicked thoughts as he shivered, his fingers running across the vertical line just below his ribs…where he was tortured, he was cut…the wound that took his mortal life. Ashido clutched his ribs, heaving with sobs as he fell to the floor…everything came back to him, his friend's faces, how they died before him, how they pleaded for their lives, how they were cut down, how the enemy captured him, how he was tied down…how they…

"When the time comes and you are assisted in releasing this anguish…the scar will disappear from your human form…" the strong voice added, the tone sifting over Ashido's panicked thoughts. Ashido sucked in a harsh breath, kneeling with obedience before the glowing figure, whose face was covered in shadows as it stood before him. Ashido raised his head from its lowered position, glancing up at the figure in confusion as the shadows slipped off the face like rain drops dripping down a glass window. The shadows darted off the figure, fluttering slightly, before launching itself at Ashido wrists, tying them high above his head. Ashido's eyes widened as shadows gripped his ankles the same way, pinning him to a table that seemed to grow up from the ground below him. 'No! No!' his mind screamed, 'this can't be happening…not again, not again…' he thought frantically as he pulled and twisted himself, trying to free himself from the restraints as the figure loomed over his right side, the scene seemed exactly like the first time.

That smile, that killer intent in the man's eyes, the wicked laughs of the retreating men in the back round, that voice dripping in venom. Ashido screamed this time, hollered and shouted, squeezing his eyes closed tightly as he braced himself for the pain that would surely come. The face smiled its teeth like crooked glass as the lips slithered over them, curling into that slow and wicked smirk that was burned into Ashido's memory. "No! No! Stop! Please, Stop!" he begged, he didn't beg last time. Feeling tears slip past his eyes as he panicked, his body flopping around on the table to the best of his abilities, if he could just get out of those ropes. But the face just laughed at him, like Ashido was a butterfly on the ground, just silently and pathetically tempting the face to rip its wings off.

The voice spoke, the same words, dripping with the very same tone and venom and hate and evil as last time, "I wonder if you'll still look handsome when I cu-"

Ashido sat up abruptly, panting as a loud sound filled his ears, startling him, thankfully, from his nightmare. 'Damn it…it's almost been 50 years…why do I keep dreaming about that fucking shit!' he thought with anger, punching the hard wood of the branch below him. Ashido was surprised to see the flesh in front of his eyes, the dream made him return to his human form, just like the last time he had a nightmare. Clenching his fists, Ashido leaned against the trunk behind him, looking down towards the source of sound that woke him from his sleep. His eyes took in the small kid who was screaming his head off, the mother kneeling beside him, attempting to calm the loud boy. Ashido winced as the screams increased, analyzing the boy further Ashido noted that the boy had a measly scrape on his knee; he must've simply fallen on the hard forest floor, skin scraping on the rocks and sharp twigs below.

Ashido smiled briefly at the kid below as the mother walked towards the end of the nearest stream, where she had set her belongings as she searched for a type of bandage to tend to the wound. The boy sobbed some before gasping on shaky breaths, trying to calm himself. Ashido clicked his tongue loudly, trying to draw attention from the young boy. Noting, with a smirk, that he was successful as the boy's head snapped up to where Ashido was kneeling on the branch. Smiling down at the boy, Ashido reached into his pocket, throwing down the object to the boy below, who caught it successfully from where he was sitting. The boy's eyes lit up with pleasure as it observed the small object in his hand, a simple wrapped chocolate, a small token Ashido had received from his offering buffet yesterday.

"Wow! Thanks Mister!" the boy exclaimed, smiling widely up at Ashido, just before he darted from his kneeling position and jumped to the branch of a nearby tree, climbing further and further away from where the boy sat. Ashido smirked as the he heard the confused question of the mother echo through the woods, "Who are you talking to…?"

The boy's excited explanations were fading from Ashido's hearing range the farther he climbed away, and when he felt safe enough from them, he climbed down a tree, his feet hitting the ground with a small thud. Than closing his eyes briefly, he willed that transformation to happen, feeling the tingling in his limbs, the wave of un painful heat sweep through his flesh as his height diminished, his body changed and in the blink of an eye, he was on all fours again. Fur now covered his body, he was a wolf again…of course he would still draw awe and attention if anyone were to see him...it was hard for him not to stand out. Everyone knew what he looked like; he couldn't even attempt to pass as a simple wolf. His fur was a deep maroon color that not only stood out for its brightness, but his fur was as soft as silk and almost illuminated a small glow. And his eyes, his eyes were the only human looking part of him when he was in this form, his eyes were shaped more like a human than an animal's and the soul-piercing blue grey color of them would stop any human dead in their tracks. Only a few humans have seen him, and they all lived to tell the tale, Ashido would never kill them of course…unless they threatened him or harmed the forest in any way. Though, he has maimed a couple of evil poachers in his day, but he made sure they would survive so they could warn others to never poach in the forest again.

There was a business to everything Ashido did…there was a give and take between him and mankind, the same bond humans shared with the gods above. They were to worship him, he would watch over them. They could hunt in his forest, so long as he let them; the rules he created were unspoken, but agreed upon. He would never risk meeting a human face to face, letting them know of his existence personally…no, he chose a less up front approach, like leaving vague signs for them to interpret and sometimes scribbling messages in the blood of his prey on the ancient tree that stood proudly before their village. Though, he only resorted to those tactics when he was outraged about how they treated the forest, if they cut down too many trees, killed for sport or certain body parts; leaving the dead bodies of the animals strewn across the forest, or littered persistently. He would cut off their right to enter the forest, where they gathered their drinking water and hunted their meals, by writing messages in the tree with animal blood saying things like 'until all is right with the forest no one will be allowed to enter it.' The humans ate it up, no one dared to step foot in the forest after something like that, they offered him meat, wine, rice, and little tokens of appreciation. The villages gathered together, not one person missing from the crowd as they prayed and begged for his forgiveness, which always gave him a good laugh, but than he would feel bad, he hated playing superior so he ended the block as soon as possible once they fixed the problem.

Ashido's ears perked up as he heard the voice of a girl in the distance. Speeding over to where he sensed her, Ashido crouched in the nearby bushes, hiding his form as his eyes peeked at the girl through the green all around him. Just ahead of him sat a girl, about 16; she was kneeling on the ground dressed in a pretty and formfitting black kimono with white lilies on the fabric. Her raven black hair stood in stark contrast to her flawless alabaster skin, her wide and sparkling violent orbs filled with content as the wolves gathered around her. Feeling a growl rise in his chest, Ashido prepared himself to leap towards her, in order to defend her from the circling packs, who were eying her like she was their next meal. Just as he was about to pounce, he stopped, taking in the sight in front of him. All the wolves rubbed up against the girl, who simply smiled and laughed at them, petting them playfully. Ashido watched in shock as the wolves basically turned into attention hogging puppies, begging to be scratched and petted, nudging against her small form as they competed for her attention.

With his keen sense of smell, Ashido took in the scent of the girl in front of him, she smelled so clean and pure, like newly fallen rain mixed with the smooth smell of lilacs. He immediately liked that smell, and understood why the wolves were drawn to her; she was so peaceful and calm. He couldn't smell or sense a drop of fear on the girl, even though he knew, the wolves knew and she knew that it took one bad move and she would be ripped to shreds. Though, he doubted that would happen, she was so serene and content before him, simply enjoying the company of all the mangy wolves, petting them and rubbing their bellies. Her small and gentle laugh teased his ears before her beautiful voice overtook his senses, "Wow, you guys are so needy…" she smirked then squealed softly when a wolf leaned up to place a long and slow lick up the side of her face. Ashido studied her face, she was beautiful, he had to admit, and he admired her bravery…any other girls he had seen that even saw a wolf in the distance would scream their heads off and run away…but not this girl. He felt a twinge in his chest when his mind connected them, saying he too was always around wolves, he loved them when he was human, before he died. He shook that anguish away as he focused on the beauty in front of him who pulled a large, wrapped square from the folds of her robe.

All the wolves jumped with excitement as she unfolded the paper, Ashido sniffed the air, raw steak. The girl smiled at the wolves placing strips of raw meat in front of each of them as they chomped down the slab, savoring the taste. Ashido stirred in the bushes on accident, her eyes snapping towards where he was hidden, the girl's face lit up as she griped a long, fatty peace of raw meat in her outstretched hand. Clicking her tongue lightly and ending with a whistle, she attempted to call him over, "Hey…c'mere…aren't you hungry…c'mon…" she offered, wagging the wobbly meat in her hand. Just as Ashido was about to dart out and away from her, he decided against it…he really was sick of hiding all the time, and that meat smelt pretty damn good to him, his mouth was watering already. Just as he stepped from the bushes, all the other wolves acknowledge him, some whimpering like fools as they retreated making the raven haired girl even more baffled then she was when her eyes landed on the strange looking wolf. She was stunned by the beauty of the creature in front of her, as the wolf hesitantly walked towards her, its grey blue eyes piercing through her own. Its soft and silky appearing maroon fur caught her eye as he glided over to her slowly.

"Hey…" she baited, with a soft smile as she wagged the meat in her hand once more. Ashido walked one paw in front of the other, in a very slow manner, his eyes alternating his gaze from her face to the meat rapidly.

"C'mon…" she urged in a patient tone, leaning in to him more as his mouth was now close to her hand. Flattening the palm of her hand with the meat plopped on top of her palm; Ashido leaned in and gently bit the meat, being careful not to nick her perfect hand in the process. The girl smiled with a happy sigh, tucking her legs under her as she sat on them, pulling more pieces of meat from the wrapper. Ashido savored the tasty morsel in his mouth, the meat was fresh and juicy and he could practically taste her skin, which, even though it briefly held the meat, her sweet taste rubbed into the morsel. He could never stomach eating a human, but the taste of her had him wanting more, he wanted to run his tongue over her cheek like the other wolf did…though, he shook that thought from his head, 'damn, I'm becoming more and more of an animal everyday…' he noted in his head, feeling embarrassed that he sometimes allowed natural instinct to overtake his thought process, which was basically the only human part of him that he still wanted to keep.

"Good boy." She said, patting the top of his head, before scratching behind his ear…it felt so good that Ashido leaned into her touch urging her to continue the treatment. She simply smiled at him, gracing him with her beauty as she pulled another piece of meat from the package, "Well, I guess you'll have the rest since you scared everyone else away…" she told him, letting him eat from her hand once more. Ashido gulped down the meat quickly, so that he could lean into her and lick her hand, making her squirm. The girl simply starting petting him again, her skilled hands scratched the spots he couldn't reach making him growl in pleasure. She kept up with her treatment and he sat directly in front of her, his eyes never leaving her own as she pet his head smoothly. "All the other wolves are probably jealous of you, because you're so handsome." She complimented, cupping his face gently.

Ashido couldn't help but feel proud at her observation, she called him handsome and for some reason his stomach did flip flops in his body. The girl then leaned in and kissed Ashido under his left eye, making his eyes close briefly, her lips were so soft, even softer against his silky fur. 'This girl had to be crazy, who puts their face this close to a wild animal they just saw…?' he questioned, but couldn't help but lean into the girl as she fed him the last bit of steak. The scent and the feel of her was driving him crazy, he couldn't remember ever wanting any human so badly, but he wanted her. With her hands still cupping his face, Ashido transformed right before her eyes, something he's never ever done in front of a human or any animals for that matter.

But he did, and he sat up on his knees, smirking when her eyes searched his form in shock. He smiled at her as she simply sat before him, completely frozen and no doubt contemplating if this was all some sort of dream she was having. Her hands dropped from his now human face, her eyes searching it rapidly taking in every detail. He was just like the wolf that was once before her, hell he was the wolf that was before her, but he changed…he transformed into a human version of himself. His hair was a dark and beautiful maroon color, and those grey blue eyes of his were now looking into her own eyes, but this time those eyes were filled with amusement. Rukia noted that he was wearing a soldier's uniform, one she recognized from the town she just came from. He was handsome, she noted, his face was perfect and she could locate large muscles under his clothes…he was much better looking than all the men in the village…his appearance almost god like. This time, his hand reached out to brush his thumb against her cheek lovingly, a cocky smile gracing his lips as he cupped her cheek, "Hey." He said, "You're not going to faint…are you?" he teased, chuckling softly. Somehow in the mix of shock and nervousness Rukia's temper managed to get through as she huffed, "No! I'm not scared!" she exclaimed, backing away from his grasp. Ashido simply leaned closer to her as she fell back using her arms behind her to pull herself backwards. He crawled on all fours and finally cornered her as her back pressed against a sturdy tree behind her.

"Yeah, you're right…you don't look scared to me…" he said sarcastically, both of them knowing that her actions revealed her fear blatantly.

Rukia sighed at the man whose face was breaths away from her own, his head tilting to the side as he studied her expression with amusement.

"You're a…you were a…you are a…"

"Wolf?" he questioned with a smirk, making Rukia exhale loudly before nodding at his comment.

"Yeah…a wolf, well…you were one, now you're…"

"Human." He finished, his eyes gazing into her own.

"U-uh, yeah." She nodded, swallowing nervously when his eyes searched her face.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Um…Rukia." She admitted with a small voice.

"Rukia, huh? Pretty name." he stated, caressing her cheek once more.

"Thanks," she blushed, turning her cheek from his touch, "Who and what are you?" she asked in a serious tone that made him chuckle.

"That's a good question, 'what am I,'" he stated with a smirk, "well, my name's Ashido…"

"Ashido?" she questioned, Ashido thought that she must be new to the village, if the whole transformation thing didn't click than his name surely would, if she'd heard the legends that surfaced about him in the village.

"Yeah, that was my name…I don't know what they call me now."

"What do you mean 'now'?" she asked curiously, cocking her head to the side as he made distance between them sitting across from her.

"Rukia...Rukia Kuchiki!" a male voice yelled as the source of it approached them rapidly. Ashido's ears twitched at the yelling and he watched Rukia turn her face from him as she searched the woods for the man. Just then, a man with long, white hair came bursting from the woods with a smile on his face as he looked down upon the small girl leaning back against the tree. Rukia blinked in confusion when she glanced over to Ashido and he wasn't there, she felt wind whoosh around her at his speedy absence.

"What's wrong?" the man asked, catching his breath.

"…nothing, Ukitake, no need to worry I was just feeding the…" she lost her thought as her mind was consumed with Ashido. What was he, and how can he transform from wolf to human, or human to wolf, which one came first?

"The wolves?" he finished, looking at her with concern.

"Yeah, something like that…" she said with a small chuckle.

Deep inside the woods, Ashido watched the two in the distance, concealing himself in the bushes. Though, his keen ears picked up their conversation and he watched as Rukia followed behind the older man, who she treated like a step father or something. 'Hm, Rukia Kuchiki, is it? Well, Rukia…I'll be seeing you again sometime soon.' He thought with a smirk as he ran through the woods, his mind going over his plan in great detail.

* * *

more to come...hope you guys liked it so far...=)


	2. Plan of Action

Ashido's plan unfolds...enjoy=)

* * *

It has only been two weeks since Rukia stumbled into this new town, and so far she was fitting in quite nicely. Though, when she first came it was more than a little rough, she spent the first two days sleeping on the streets, desperately searching for any type of job available in the area when there seemed to be none.

The village people were so close knit, they all knew each other and Rukia could tell many of them were weary of her, and many still are. Simply because she's an outsider means they fail to place any source of trust in her. She ran away from her original town, a town filled with murderers and scum, only to face adversity in a civilized town, a clean and innocent town. A town where, if there were bloody corpses lining the street people wouldn't simply step over them or kick them out of their way like they would in her old town. They would panic; they would investigate and bring their killers to justice but not before giving the victims a proper burial. When she first set her sights on this town, Seretetei, she felt her spirits soar, her hopes at an all time high; she thought that maybe, just maybe she could make a new life for herself. A life that didn't consist of stealing or sleeping in a different place every night; that was a life that she was seeking. And that life seemed to fall right into her hands on her third day in Seretetei, with the help of a man named Jyuushiro Ukitake.

She remembers it wasn't too long ago when she met him…she was sitting in the town center simply watching the bustling crowds as they selected and purchased fresh fruits or hand made clothing or healing herbs from the many different vendors, preaching their product's greatness from behind the safety of their carts. Rukia sat there, her back against a stone wall, the only thing in her possession were the clothes on her back and a makeshift sketch pad that she poured her drawings, ideas and visions into. So, she was simply sitting there, her thoughts now engrossed into the drawing she was creating on the blank paper; each stroke definite, made softly with the tip of her pencil. Her thoughts and focus on the masterpiece interrupted when a man with stark white hair approached her, his energy wafting off this enormous feeling of compassion and goodness, he was the first person in a long time that she could picture herself trusting.

"Hello, there." He had said, his hand extending, offering a peaceful introduction; she shook his hand haphazardly, her mind swirling with unanswered questions. Her lips trembled over her name shakily as she introduced herself to him, and she couldn't help but feel a little self conscious when he peered, with curiosity at the drawing she had created on her paper. His eyes taking in the delicate sketch of the panda bear, as it seemed to come to life with the bold strokes and perfect details she had added to the animal. Though, Rukia couldn't help but blush when the man stared at the drawing with awe, complimenting her talent before she saw an idea practically click in his mind, she could see it though his eyes, through his expression.

Rukia remembers how he saved her life that day, restored her hope when it seemed to sink in the dusty corners she resorted to sleeping in. He had said, "Wow, that's some talent you've got there. You know, I've been looking for an art teacher for the orphanage, I have scholastic teachers but these kids need to express themselves and I'm not much help with that field. I'm wondering, would you be interested…I mean I came over here after seeing you engrossed in that drawing, I knew you must have a passion for it, so…would you be interested in being paid to teach the children…?" Rukia pondered the idea for a moment, and only a moment, she immediately agreed to the proposal, jumping to her feet and shaking his hand with complete appreciation. It sounded too good to be true, he explained she would be paid, work around children and get funding for all her art supplies. Along with all those amazing details, he explained that she would live in a room in the orphanage, no charge…it was included with the job of art teacher.

This job, Rukia knew, couldn't be any more of a perfect match for her. Not only did she love children, but she was one of them, she was an orphan, abandoned at birth and desperate for a family. One she never did find, though, most of her life all she had was herself and her drawings, that was all she allowed herself to be exposed to…she lacked the ability to trust anyone or to rely on anyone. And to think, now she can help those children who suffered the same issues that she did, she can help them express themselves, help them discover their inner happiness and ambitions…she could give them the kind of attention they deserved, the kind she never received. Needless to say, Rukia felt like the luckiest girl on the face of the earth, she couldn't imagine a better life for herself than the one that she had been invited into; all because of this kind and amazing man Ukitake. Even yesterday, when she had wandered off into the woods without notice, he worried about her whereabouts, he felt concerned with her well being…she hasn't been cared for like that before, he was becoming more and more like a father figure to her, and she couldn't help but feel like, for the first time in her life, she came _home_.

Rukia sighed with a smile, staring at the ceiling of the small room supplied to her. She couldn't help the thoughts that ran back to the man she met in the woods yesterday, Ashido… 'Ashido…where have I heard that name before…?' she pondered, 'and what is he?' Rukia came to no conclusion; she started to regret not taking the chance earlier to ask Ukitake about the strange man. But, most of all, she knew she heard his name before; her mind raked through this past week trying to come up with any traces of him. Anything that she'd heard, that she'd been told, any small whispers of legends circulating through the village about a god who lived amongst them in the woods… "That's it!" she exclaimed out loud, sitting up in her bed as her thoughts returned to the day before yesterday…

"_A __sacred __ritual?" __Rukia __questioned, __her __eyes __displaying __her __curiosity._

_Ukitake pondered for awhile, no doubt articulating how he would go about explaining tonight's event to her. "Yes, exactly that. The local farmer always sacrifices the best cow in the whole village every month to appease the forest spirit."_

_That explanation simply teased her curiosity more without sating it, "Forest spirit? What do you mean, there's some sacred spirit that haunts the forest?" she questioned, peering out into the distance, the trees shielding the view of the inner workings of nature._

"_No, __ha, __he __doesn't __haunt __the __forest, __he __embodies __it__…__he __protects __it __and __maintains __balance. __He __is __a __demi-god __that __lives __in __the __forest, __he's__…__"_

_Just then, Ukitake's mouth moved but the words were drowned out by the loud drumming, making Rukia jump and try to question him again over the noise, to which, villagers urged them to the sacred tree. Ukitake simply shrugged at her, knowing that his voice couldn't possibly reach her ears over such a ruckus. Rukia shrugged it off as well, whatever it was, she told herself, she'll learn in due time when the opportunity arises, she figured it was most likely an urban legend or myth that just wasn't true…_

It all came back to her…Ashido, yes she's heard that name spoken before, she's heard his name slip from the mouths of the praying and the desperate. He was the demi-god that protected the forest, the spirit that roamed the earth, though she never learned of the full legend; of why and how he became a god, she still knew _of_ him. But, apparently, nobody has ever seen this man spirit…so why did he choose her of all people to reveal his true form to? Why was there a flood of sadness behind his eyes when she gazed upon them? What secret or what element of his past is he trying to escape from? All these question bombarded Rukia's mind, like a fire that wouldn't cease until the rain of answers drenched down upon her. But she knew all she could do is wait to discover the answers, some she may never discover through the villagers alone, but maybe by asking the spirit, himself. Though, she doubted she'd be lucky enough to come across the majestic spirit twice.

"Ukitake-san, you must come at once, the spirit asks something of you…" the man informed him, his voice frantic as the words slipped from his mouth.

Ukitake was puzzled, what could the spirit possibly want from him? He didn't have any power in the village, he was simply another inhabitant, there was nothing prominent about him. Ukitake simply nodded at the man and began a brisk walk as he followed behind the messenger. He followed the man all the way through the village, ignoring the hushed whispers and stares from the crowd of villagers. Ukitake simply blushed, spitting out greetings as he scratched the back of his neck, he couldn't help but feel nervous and embarrassed at all the attention that was directed to him.

The messenger led him through the crowds, never slowing down his pace as he led Ukitake to familiar surroundings. Ukitake stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening as he took in the scribbled words, written in blood, all over the trunk of the scared tree. With a heavy sigh, the messenger moved to the side, allowing Ukitake a full view of the writing, his gaze searching the shocked elder in front of him. The whispers of the surrounding crowd gathered into the wind, blowing all around Ukitake as his heart beat faster and faster in his chest, his hand coming up to clutch at the fabric covering his chest in a failed attempt to calm his nerves. His eyes reading over the writing once again, for the fifth time:

'Jyuushiro Ukitake, I expect to meet you in the woods tonight half past midnight. Listen carefully, you must be led by a small handful of villagers into the heart of the woods wearing a blindfold, your guides must leave exactly two minutes after you reach the destination. Further instructions will be given to you by me, personally. If you fail to complete these instructions properly, the whole village will pay for your mistakes.'

"I am to accompany you, me and four men who volunteered," the messenger informed, bowing solemnly at Ukitake before walking away from him, leaving Ukitake standing before the sacred tree, his thoughts were whirling around in his head. 'What could the spirit possibly want from me?' He thought, his fingers running through his hair roughly, before clutching the locks in nervousness. 'No,' he swallowed down the fear rising in his throat, he felt he was about to be sick, 'I must be brave, the fate of the village rests in my cooperation,' he told himself. And with a sigh, Ukitake stood tall, walking past all the villagers, ignoring the sympathetic looks they shot him, as he headed back to the orphanage to prepare himself for tonight.

"What's going on?" Rukia asked Ukitake, a worried expression covering her face. She had stumbled into the living room, where she heard and watched the bustling of numerous people, fussing around Ukitake as they draped him in expensive and prestigious clothes, his expression was void of any emotion. Rukia studied the man before her, he refused to turn and address her, but, his eyes met her worried gaze through the mirror he was gazing into.

"Ukitake-san, where are you going? It's almost midnight…" Rukia said, her gaze traveling to the window, where her eyes took in the darkness that hung heavily on the night air. She couldn't help the worry that consumed her entire being, everyone around them was frantic and Ukitake looked as though he had been sentenced to death or something.

"No need to worry Rukia-chan, I have a very important meeting is all. Nothing to be concerned about, go back to bed." He consoled her, though his face betrayed him because he looked extremely pale and nervous.

Rukia simply nodded at her boss, turning to leave him as she heard the pitter patter of little feet on the wood floor of the hallway. Stepping out of the room, Rukia slid the door closed, concealing the frantic workers and a worried Ukitake from her view. Feeling a slight and small tug on the side of her kimono, Rukia jumped and cried out in shock. Her eyes glancing down at the tiny dark form that clung to her side, its small arms wrapped around her legs tightly, its little face buried into the fabric on her body. Rukia's eyes adjusted to the strict darkness, blinking rapidly as the form became more recognizable, the image of the small child clutching itself to her like a lifeline made a small smile grace her face.

"Kohaku," she consoled with a sweet voice, stoking the child's soft hair and hugging him to her, "What are you doing up this late, go back to bed sweetheart."

Kohaku sniffled, small tears flowing down the small boy's face as he clung to the woman tighter, looking up with those wide, watering eyes. This worried Rukia, she tried her best to calm the boy, hugging him and shushing his cries as he sobbed into her kimono.

"What's wrong?" she asked with worry, crouching down in front of the little boy she had come to know this past week.

"Ukitake…I-I don't wan' him ta…ta die!" the child cried, hot tears running down his cheek once more as his entire body shook with cries, his tiny hands covering his tiny face.

Rukia shot the boy a concerned glance, confusion taking over all her senses, "What are you talking about Kohaku, Ukitake is just fine. He's not going to die, why would you say such a thing?" she inquired, gently peeling the child hands from his face and looking into his eyes.

The child let out a few cries before answering his teacher's question, "Tha village, thay say he's gonna die! Cuz' Ashido wans ta sees him!" the child sobbed, burying his face into his teacher's chest as Rukia caressed the child's hair lovingly. But, his words pulsed frantic thoughts through her mind, especially when the child said that name, 'Ashido.' 'Would Ashido really kill Ukitake…?' She questioned herself, 'But why, what did Ukitake ever do to him, no, he wouldn't kill him, would he?' Rukia simply put a smile across her face and held Kohaku's small face in her hands, looking into the worried child's eyes as he sniffled and hot tears ran down his face.

"Listen, I promise nothing is going to happen to Ukitake. Okay, you trust me, right? Nothing is going to happen; he's going to a meeting with a friend, okay? They're just rumors." She assured him, kissing the child's forehead softly. The small boy beamed at her, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand, his eyes shining with happiness at his teacher.

"Kay! Ruki-chan!" Kohaku exclaimed, hugging his teacher.

"Okay, now get to bed, little one." She said, ruffling the boy's dark hair playfully as he giggled and ran up the stairs.

Sighing at the small retreating form, Rukia couldn't help but wonder what was really going on with Ukitake, is it possible he really is going to see Ashido? And if so, then why? What could he possibly want from an owner of the town orphanage? Rukia stared at the closed door behind her, squinting she could hear the bustling workers inside, no doubt fussing over Ukitake's appearance. Rukia decided to ignore her pestering thoughts; they were just rumors, right? There's no way Ukitake is meeting with Ashido, it's simply silly. With that thought in mind Rukia traveled up the stairs, prepared to go and get a good night's rest.

Ashido smirked, staring at the half crescent moon in the sky, its face leering down at the forest god as he slipped into the darkness of night. Pulling the black hood over his head, Ashido pressed his back up against a tree, facing away from the direction from which Ukitake would soon approaching from. It was almost half past midnight and Ashido felt his nerves clench into a bundle, he didn't know why he was so tense, this should be easy for him. He knew what he wanted, and he was going to get it, years of worship had built up his ego to the point of superiority, he felt as though he could ask of anything from those people that they owed him as much. Then, Ashido sensed the presence of the humans as they approached him, though he dared not to glance around the tree, the last thing he wanted was for one of them to see his actual form, he wanted to keep that a secret from the villagers. Just like instructed, the group of humans led Ukitake to the center of the woods, waiting some before retreating from the meeting place, and when Ashido sensed they were far enough from them he chose to speak.

"Jyuushiro Ukitake," he stated, "Do not speak," he instructed when he heard Ukitake open his mouth to speak at his statement.

"Do not speak, just listen," Ashido ordered, his back pressed hard up against the tree feet from Ukitake. "You have two options that I will offer to you with courtesy, you can either surrender Rukia Kuchiki to me, or you can choose to punish the whole village."

Ukitake froze, his eyes searching the tree Ashido was shielding himself behind. His mind went blank and he felt completely and utterly helpless; he knew the only option he really had was giving Rukia to him, and he didn't want to do that either. 'What could he possibly want with her? Why Rukia?' he thought in utter shock, the wind blowing around his body, ruffling the dangling fabrics that covered his body.

Sensing Ukitake's confusion at his orders, Ashido blurted out, "You may speak."

Ukitake held his breath for a moment, before releasing the air from his lungs, his head spinning with questions, his heart filled with all sorts of contradicting emotions that left him speechless. But, he had to compose himself, so taking a deep breath and gathering his courage he took the chance and decided to ask the god a question that pestered him, "What do you want with Rukia Kuchiki?"

"That is not important." Ashido answered, though he didn't quite know the answer to the question himself. Ever since his eyes fell on Rukia, his mind was conquered by thoughts of her, she was all he thought about; when he looked at her, this feeling in the pit of his stomach arose that he hadn't felt since he was alive. He felt hollow until he first met her, though it was brief, being a god, he was an amazing judge of people and the feeling Rukia gave off confused him. She seemed so pure, so honorable and different than everyone else; for the first time in a while he felt hope, though he didn't understand why. And she gave that hope to him; it was like fate delivered her to him, it dictated that they should meet and he never dared to question fate.

"You shall have tomorrow, until 7 in the afternoon, to come to a decision, if she is not present in this very spot by 7 tomorrow, I will assume you chose your other option, and you will pay greatly." Ashido warned him, resting his head against the tree as he sensed the frantic man a few feet behind him.

"You are dismissed." Ashido informed him when he still felt Ukitake's presence.

"Very well, Ashido-san." Ukitake nodded, turning to leave his spot, the spot where he would have to leave Rukia tomorrow. In his mind he knew he had no choice, he must surrender Rukia to Ashido, but in his heart he was suffering. How could he simply hand this innocent girl over to this monster, this man who had so much power over humans that it was frightening.

As he sulked back to the village, Ukitake felt the urge to run back. To kneel before the god and beg, beg for him to reconsider…but, he knew the man would not change his mind; the god was hell bent on receiving Rukia tomorrow.

Ukitake sighed, feeling utterly ashamed and completely helpless, all he could think of was the fate of this one, innocent girl and the fact that her fate rested on his shoulders.

Ukitake knew what he had to do, he just couldn't bear the thought of it…

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it so far...i'll update as soon as i can=)


	3. Rukia's Decision

"So?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing at his panicked expression, her head cocking to the side slightly. Ukitake widened his eyes in shock, his mind rambling with questions, why was she taking this so well? Wasn't she afraid, isn't she scared? Ukitake didn't realize he had said those thoughts out loud until she responded to them.

"Not really, I mean…what is he going to do? Eat me?" she smirked, a small chuckle falling from her lips making the older man sputter in confusion. "Don't worry, I've talked to him before, he probably just wants to ask something of me, or I don't know…we won't find out until I ask him, won't we?" she questioned with a soft smile, walking past her boss who simply stared at the spot where she was just standing.

His mind spun and he began to feel dizzy, obviously this girl wasn't grasping the seriousness of this situation. She hadn't been here long enough to realize the power of the demi-god, she didn't know of the stories that circulated throughout the village…stories about why Ashido would ask for her. And Ukitake couldn't avoid the stories, each rumor stuck within his head, pestering him and proceeding to swarm his thoughts, keeping him wide awake all throughout last night. His eyes sagged from lack of sleep, they appeared bloodshot and his face was a sickly pale white…he felt the worst he's ever felt.

His mind, at the moment, was his worst enemy…it conjured up all sorts of images, one in particular was her running throughout the forest with the demi-god nipping at her heels…and when she tripped, he was on her, blood spattering on the nearby trees. Gasping out of the day dream, Ukitake shook the thoughts from his head, trying to console his racing mind as he walked after the retreating girl. He followed her and rounded the corner, watching as the raven haired girl disappeared into one of the classroom doors, one he recognized as the art room.

And all Ukitake could think of was maybe this was the last time he would ever see her entering that door again, ever see her leaning over one of the children to view their artwork, ever see her demonstrating the proper way to paint on the canvas in the front of the classroom. Ukitake stood in the doorway, a small but sad smile gracing his face as he watched the petite girl circulate throughout the room. She paced up and down the aisles, walking briskly from child to child, smiling and laughing with the small children seated at the long wooden tables. He watched as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her smile seeming to radiate the small room as she assisted a child in painting a rigid bamboo stick on the small square paper. She mumbled instructions to the boy as she leaned over him, her hand atop his to guide his paintbrush's movements on the paper, the small boy grinning and giggling in amusement.

She complimented his talent and ruffled his hair, the small boy blushing and smiling up at his teacher, affection radiated in his tiny eyes. The sound of childish giggles and squeals filled the room, each child enveloped in their art projects as they splayed assortments of colors onto the paper, the splatter of paint slapping their flesh, making them laugh harder. Ukitake shuttered and felt his heart sink; he couldn't help but think of the sadness that would overtake them when they learned of the fate of their art teacher. Ukitake paled, he didn't know how he would announce her departure to the class, he never wanted to see their faces drop, never wanted to hear their cries and sobs, never wanted to see them suffer. And he never wished to see Rukia in that kind of state either, though he had only known the girl for a couple of weeks she had quickly made a place for herself in his heart, she was like the daughter he never had.

This girl was so amazing, she was incredibly generous and loved the simply things in life, it was like fate sent her to him because ever since she came to the orphanage the cries turned into laughter. The children loved her because she loved them, she gave them the type of affection they needed, taught them how to express themselves. And since she had come, the children became more motivated, they strived to do and act better, strived to be better…the once plain and bleak halls were now decorated with colors and paintings.

The children immediately trusted and confided in her, not only did she teach them art but she taught them how to deal with their problems, to them she wasn't just a teacher, she was a friend. She was exactly what they needed and it only took her two weeks to get into each and every one of their hearts. Ukitake never wanted to be the barer of bad news, hell if he was going to start now…he would never tell them the truth of her whereabouts after today; he had to come up with an excuse quickly. Rukia smiled down at the small girl, her heart overjoyed as she witnessed the large grin on the child's face, she loved seeing them happy…she loved giving them happiness.

Sensing someone's gaze on her Rukia snapped her head in the direction, her eyes falling on Ukitake's tired form as he lent against the doorframe, seemingly lost in deep thought, his blank stare still directed at her. Looking down at her feet, Rukia couldn't help but wonder why he was acting so strangely, did he know something she didn't? Then the thought hit her…Ashido had asked of Ukitake to 'surrender' her to him…but he didn't specify how long she would remain with him. It could be seconds…minutes…hours…days…months, Rukia eyes widened, years? 'But what does he want with me? What's he going to do with me?' she thought, panic arising within her. She now realized why it is that Ukitake was so perturbed by the demi-god's orders…she just can't believe she didn't figure it out sooner. At a distance, this order appeared to be a death sentence, she could just picture the whispering villagers as they huddled in small groups saying things like 'oh that poor thing,' or 'god rest her soul.'

Rukia shuddered at the thought of dying…but part of her remained in speculation that Ashido would hurt her in anyway…sure, he had acted strangely when she first met him, but his situation was strange to begin with. Rukia closed her eyes, the image of the sadness that clouded his grey blue irises flooded her mind; his eyes seemed to be a direct passageway into his soul, revealing all the pain and suffering he had endured. She didn't know what had caused him so much pain but that didn't stop her curiosity. Though, she decided that such sensitive elements like that would be best if she learned directly from him, if he was ready to tell her…but she wouldn't press on about any information if he wanted to keep his past a secret because that was his option, his right. Despite what he is now, a demi-god, he's probably just as human as she is, he feels pain just like everyone else.

Then the thought hit her, if he desired to kill her or harm her in anyway…what would stop him from doing such on their first meeting? If he was as blood hungry as everyone thought, what would stop him from killing Ukitake and doing what he wished of her? Why would he be so passive in retrieving her, if he disregarded her rights he would simply abduct her himself, wouldn't he? Rukia mentally scorned herself for thinking too much into the situation…until she met with Ashido she wouldn't fully comprehend his intentions and she shouldn't assume things in the first place. Rukia told the children to keep working on their art projects as she walked over to Ukitake, motioning for him to join her in the empty hallway. Closing the door shut behind them, Rukia paused for a few moments, simply staring at the closed door as she heard the fits of laughter and squeals of joy from behind it. A moment of silence enveloped the two before Rukia chose to break it, "What am I going to tell the children?" she asked, her voice low.

"I'll think of something…but that all depends…on how long you will stay with Ashido…" he informed her, making her sigh and look down at the floor, the polished wood sparkling in her dull eyes.

"You don't have to do this Rukia…there's got to be a way out of this…we could hide you he-"

"No," she cut in, her eyes flashing with determination, the light returning to them once more, "This is my decision, I can't possibly choose to harm the whole village for my own selfish reasons."

Ukitake closed his eyes briefly, a small smile gracing his lips before the frown covered it once more, "Ah, I see…but, Rukia…it wouldn't be a selfish decision, the children…they need you here…I'm sure the town would understand," he explained, his hand coming to rest on her hunched shoulder for comfort.

"It's alright, Ukitake, I will do what is asked of me…" she stated, smiling at the man as she pulled his hand from her shoulder, squeezing it some before letting it drop to his side. Ukitake exhaled a shaky breath, feeling the cool wind swirl as she walked past him, "That's what I'm afraid of…" he admitted, but his words fell on deaf ears as Rukia rounded the corner of the hallway.

Rukia, ran out of the orphanage as fast as she could, the bitter wind whipping against her face almost painfully. The scream of the wind in the trees increased, the leaves clinging desperately to the branches, holding on for their dear lives. She ran past all the crowds, avoiding their solemn stares and their low whispers, she simply glanced ahead of her, her feet moving on their own accord. She broke out into a sprint once she passed through the mouth of the woods, her bare feet slapping against the stones as her eyes searched the expanse of the entire forest. She searched for any signs of red or grey, but the forest was littered with the colors, the fall leaves catching her eye and she would sigh, disappointed that the scene she viewed was not that of the strange man. She didn't rationalize coming to find him, she didn't fight against the urge she simply ran, ran towards the forest as if she were sleepwalking; unaware of her actions. Breathing heavily from exhaustion, Rukia cried out as her foot caught on a jagged stone that jutted up from its blanket of leaves; causing her to trip and fall forward.

Her arms flailed around her wildly as gravity took hold and her body slammed to the ground, but not before the flesh of her left knee scarped painfully against a rough stone. She cried out in pain as her body flopped to the ground, her arms supporting her some so she wasn't to fall flat on her face. The sound of her fall and the fluttering leaves as she disturbed their slumber filled Rukia's ears, the whole forest fell silent after that. She heard the blood pumping in her ears, so loud that it muffled any other sounds that occurred around her.

Wincing, Rukia peeled her body from the floor, pulling her legs out in front of her as she examined her injured knee. Watching the crimson liquid seep from the gash made Rukia sigh in anger but her face paled at the sight. The blood continued to rush from the gash and she simply stared at the flowing liquid in a mock interpretation of awe. Rukia winced when she covered the gash with her free hand and when she applied pressure the contact made a sharp pain emit throughout her leg. Feeling the frustration and anger build up into a climax within her made Rukia tilt her head back and let out a loud scream, "ASHIDO!"

The scream of his name echoed throughout the forest, the birds chirped in panic and left their nests in the leaf covered trees, their wings flapping wildly in the air as they ran from the loud noise. Catching her breath, Rukia seethed with anger, glaring down at her blood soaked hand as it stifled the blood flow of the cut. In the distance, the wolf's ears perked up and twitched, he clearly heard a scream of his name. And in an instant he recognized the voice to be that of Rukia Kuchiki's, it was only mid-afternoon so she was way too early to meet him, but then…he smelt blood.

Feeling panic and concern rise in his being, Ashido ran, his four legs barely touching the ground as he soared over the forest floor. His mind filled with panicked thoughts as he watched the scenery move around him, the sound of his loud, animalistic panting filled his ears, but the smell of her blood lingered in his nose. What if she was being attacked? What if she was bleeding to death? All these frantic questions filled his mind as he felt the distance between them decreasing with each lunge he took.

At the last moment, Ashido transformed into his human form, his height rising from floor level to that of a human's. Stopping in his tracks, he was graced with the sight of the small girl, clutching her wounded knee as she sat on the ragged forest floor. Her head snapped up and Ashido was surprised when he was met with an angry glare. His eyebrow raised in question as he smirked at the small girl, "What the hell is your problem?" she asked, venom dripping from her voice.

Startled and confused by her comment, Ashido glanced at the small girl; he could feel the anger coming off of her body in waves, waves that washed over his entire being. He smirked it off, "What the hell is your problem, why are you bleeding? What happened?" he asked, trying to hide the concern from his voice, but failing.

"Yeah, why do you care? You're going to kill me anyway, right? Or eat me or something? You're sick!" she shouted at him, her finger pointing accusingly at the standing man. Ashido chuckled softly, walking over to the girl and getting on his knees before her. He blinked in confusion when she backed away from him; the look on her face wasn't so much fear as it was stubbornness.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not going to kill you, I'm not going to eat you either…you've been listening to too many scary stories, haven't you?" he questioned, an amused smirk on her face as he reached his hand out to examine her injury. Startled when she slapped his hand away, narrowing her eyes at him as she pulled herself further away; clutching at her wound, almost protectively.

"Then what do you want? Why did you ask of me? If you're not going to kill me or eat me than what do you want with me?" she asked, and then as if sensing the answer to her own question she scowled at him. "If you think for one moment that I'll just lay back and let you violate me, you're sadly mistaken, you sick bas-"

"I'm not going to rape you, I'm not a rapist…calm down…" he answered stoically, his eyes searching her own. "Just let me see your wound," he offered, her eyes searching him suspiciously as he inched closer to her. Swallowing down her pride, Rukia sighed and released the grip on her knee, allowing him to closely examine the wound. She watched him as he lightly touched the gash above her knee, making her jump, but his eyes remained focused on the cut as he wiped some blood from the opening with his thumb. Rukia stopped herself from wincing; she didn't want to show any signs of pain, not when he was there. She wanted to prove to him that she wasn't some damsel in distress that she didn't need any help and she could definitely take care of herself. But, she allowed him to examine her wound and she couldn't help but feel calm at the look in his eyes, he didn't seem blood thirsty or cold and calculated…he seemed…serene.

She wanted to know what he planned to do with her…if he wasn't going to use her sexually, kill her or eat her…then what? Just as she opened her mouth to question his motives he rose to his feet, "Wait here…" he instructed, making her eyebrows furrow in confusion as she watched him transform and bolt into another direction. Sighing, Rukia bit her lip and watched the wolf as he disappeared from her sights, the maroon blur leaving her line of vision. Then, in a flash he was before her once more, in his human form, gripping a small, wooden box in his hands as he approached her.

Kneeling down beside her, he set the box on the floor, taking the wooden top off as he rummaged through the contents. Peering down with curiosity, Rukia's eyes noted the numerous medical items strewn throughout the tiny box. A small puddle was situated beside him; he must've taken note of it before her left because he dipped the white cloth into the clear water, ringing out the excess liquid. Rukia released a shaky breath when he dabbed the wetted cloth over her cut, swiping the dried and fresh blood that surrounded the wound. The cold water seeped through her open cut, the coldness rushing to her veins making her leg pulse at the unwelcome invasion and she shivered slightly. Ashido's full attention was directed to her injury; he cleared the dried blood from around the cut and swiped away liquid that threatened to pour over.

Rukia breathed out, her eyes closing some as she enjoyed the calm feeling of his ministrations, the cold water adjusting and cooling down her heated blood. He cleaned her wound so gently, and she couldn't help but admire his handsome face as he worked on her knee. Blushing some, Rukia shook the thoughts from her head, what was she thinking? In a couple of hours he would hold her captive, and how did she even know he wasn't lying? Rukia shuddered at the thought, wondering if this was part of his plan, to lead her into a false sense of security and when he developed her trust he would harm her. Noting that the bottom of her Yukata had slid dangerously low, up her thighs, she squirmed and yanked the fabric down her legs, covering their pale expanse once more. She couldn't help but wonder if he had noticed and she felt embarrassed as she blushed harder, looking away from his face as her eyes focused on the clouds above.

Glancing up to her face, Ashido noted that the sky preoccupied her thoughts, and wiping the blood one last time, Ashido set the sullied cloth on the dusty ground. Ashido gripped her wrist, startling Rukia as her head snapped down to meet his gaze. He breathed out, smirking as he glanced over at the puddle beside her, guiding her by her wrist as he dipped her blood-soaked hand in the cold water. Releasing his grasp on her wrist he searched the small box for the desired tool, his hands gripping the instrument carefully as he threaded the thin and shiny needle. Rukia's eyes remained glued to the water; the sudden protrusion of her hand interrupted the calm puddle, causing frantic waves and ripples. But, just then she saw a light catch on a shiny object hovering above her knees, making her turn her head suddenly, the needle coming into her full view.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, her hand shielding her gash from the threat of the needle.

Ashido rolled his eyes before speaking calmly, "The wound is deep, it needs stitches or it will never close." He informed her, making her eye him suspiciously. But, Rukia removed her hand and glanced down at the injury, the cut was jagged and deep, it breached through both layers of skin, and the blood seemed to regenerate from inside of her as it oozed out once more.

"Fine." She said, watching as he lowered the needle to her skin, and in a split second she felt the sharp, but barely painful pinch as he began the process of stitching the wound closed. He focused on the task at hand, his movements firm and confident as she watched the skin reunite one stitch at a time, the gash becoming smaller and smaller. He was so close, she noted, confused as to why she hadn't noticed it before. He kneeled beside her knee, both his knees under her bent leg, and she could now feel the cloth that covered his legs barely caressing her own.

Blushing, Rukia could feel the warmth of his hands as one of them gripped the side of her calf, holding her leg in place as the other hand occasionally brushed the skin of her knee when he put another stitch in. After the cut was completely closed, Rukia relaxed, at least it was finally over, she told herself. Examining his work, Ashido reached for the small set of scissors and cut the excess thread off, tying the end into a minuscule knot as he placed the sullied equipment in a small, plastic bag that he set inside of the box with all the other materials. Glancing down at the dark stitches, Rukia ran her fingers over the skin-embedded thread, the black contrasting with the pale white color of her skin.

Then, pushing her hand off of her stitches, Ashido gripped her calf harder as he leaned in; his heated breathe fanning over the now closed injury. Little drops of blood remained on her closed wound and in a calm manor; he leaned in further, his tongue darting out between his lips as he dragged the wet appendage over the stitches. Rukia blushed, biting her lip as she watched him clean the closed cut, his saliva taking in the crimson blood that welled up there. Giving the tended skin one final, long and warm lick, making Rukia squirm, Ashido sat back, releasing the girl's small calf as he smirked at her.

"What the hell?" she asked breathlessly, she still blushed from the image of him licking her skin; it made her shiver and warmed her at the same time.

"Saliva destroys the bacteria…" he explained, a small smile gracing his features when he saw her cheeks were adorned with a cute blush.

"That or you like the taste of blood…" she retorted with some attitude, pulling herself to her feet. Ashido stood in front of her, holding the small wooden box in his hand as he glanced down at her wound one last time.

"Can't argue with that…" he stated, making the girl's face contort with disgust, "I'm a demi-god, part wolf, remember?" he joked.

"Okay, if you are a god…then wouldn't you be able to heal my wounds with your powers or something?" she questioned, the thought just occurring to her at the moment.

Ashido sighed, glancing up at the sky where he knew that not long from now he would be glancing up at the moon, stuck in his human form. 'Yeah, I could've if I hadn't lost my powers…its too close to the full moon,' he answered mentally. But he just shrugged off her comment, "You ask too many questions…" he said, turning from her as he walked away.

"And you don't answer any!" she yelled at his retreating form, making him smirk. She really was something else, he couldn't remember the last time someone had the guts to yell at or chastise him. "Maybe, if you're nice…I'll tell you…but I guess you'll have to wait till' seven tonight, won't you?" he teased, flashing a smirk over his shoulder, and she just stood there, dumb-founded. Rukia watched him transform and sprint into the distance once more and she just sighed. She turned around and limped back to the village, knowing that she had no choice but to return to this very spot once more.

As Ashido ran off, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks, glancing back behind him; it was strange…that out of all the spots she could've fallen in…she had fallen in the very spot where his body was dumped. And when he had taken matters into his own hands, by demanding Ukitake to meet him, the man didn't stand in that spot, he stood a few feet from it. But, when she had come of her own accord, she had fallen onto the spot, directly. He wasn't sure if the gods controlled fate, or if fate was out of their hands…but he determined that regardless of who controlled circumstances…everything seemed to fall into place.

"But…but…why?" one child yelled, his little face displaying his disapproval.

"Well…Rukia-chan…she…" Ukitake fought for an explanation, scratching the top of his head, blushing when numerous pairs of little eyes were fixed on him.

"I have to visit my…brother, he lives in a town far from here…he's opening his own restaurant and I need to go down there and help him; at least until the business is stable," she lied, silently congratulating herself for coming up with such a plausible excuse. Ukitake smiled, silently thanking her for cutting in because he couldn't, for the life of him, come up with one explanation for her sudden departure, not when all those children were staring at him. He'd felt somewhat at ease when Rukia told him of her meeting with Ashido, how he tended to her wounds and promised not to hurt her.

Her words brought him some comfort and they made sense, considering Ashido had never been known to kill or harm a human, even though there were myths, he doubted he'd so openly hurt a townsperson. The children all complained, some started to cry, little chunky tears falling down their faces as they sprinted towards their teacher. Rukia smiled when all the children surrounded her, enveloping her in one big, united group hug, their grubby hands clutching her as they said their goodbyes.

"Don't worry children," she cooed, ruffling one crying boy's hair, "I'll be back before you know it…" she said, trying to convince herself of that statement. "Oh, and don't let my leaving mean you can slack off, you still need to work on your favorite animal paintings…" she chastised jokingly, making them all giggle and laugh. Ukitake smiled at the scene before him, watching as each child talked to her, hugged her and darted off into the back, to their seats; whipping out their papers and beginning to work on their paintings. Smiling at the little faces that filled the room, Rukia walked alongside Ukitake, standing in the doorway as they all yelled their slurry goodbyes that filled her heart with joy. She loved how children could envelope themselves in bliss; in carelessness…they didn't need much to make them happy, just a little love and reassurance.

Time seemed to fly by as they left the village, and before Rukia knew it, she was standing in the same spot she had fallen in, not too long ago, and feeling as if she shouldn't she stepped out of it. A pair of grey blue eyes took in that action, smiling lightly to himself as he hid behind the large tree.

"Well! I'm here, like you wanted!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air for emphasis, Ukitake spurting out an apology as he panicked and asked her to act respectful; fearful that the god would punish her for being insubordinate. Rukia simply smiled at Ukitake, glancing around the woods, she knew that Ashido was there, he was just not making his presence known.

"Yes, I see that…you made a wise choice Ukitake…you may leave," Ashido responded, his booming voice making the older man jump. Ukitake smiled at the small girl beside him, sadness overcoming him as he looked into her calm, violet irises. "I'm sorry Rukia…I guess this is goodbye," he said.

"Don't apologize, I'll be fine…and this isn't goodbye," she assured him, and behind the tree Ashido smiled. He could see how greatly she cared for the older man, he knew he was her boss, but over the course of a couple of weeks they must've grown close.

"Alright," Ukitake agreed as Rukia pulled him into a tight hug; he held her tightly, knowing he must let go soon. Rukia sighed, she didn't know how to feel…she didn't know if she should cry or laugh off the situation. Disengaging the hug, Ukitake bowed in the direction that Ashido was hidden before he waved goodbye to Rukia and disappeared into the woods.

Sighing loudly, Rukia placed her hands on her hips, "Well?" she asked, her voice hovering in the air, filling the distance between them as he stepped from behind the tree with a smirk.

"I haven't decided what to do with you…yet," he answered, motioning with his hand for her to follow him as he led her into the woods.

"Yet?" she questioned, feeling uneasy at his statement…


	4. Questions Remain

sorry for the long wait. Hope you enjoy =)

* * *

"Does it still hurt you?" he asked, his voice hiding any concern as he glanced back at the raven-haired girl when she appeared to be limping on her injured leg. Rukia pushed a stray branch back, passing through the small area before she released it behind her with a snap. She watched as Ashido expertly made his way through the traps the trees seemed to purposely set all around them. The path seemed to get narrower as they moved on, prickly vines entangling in her hair along with thorns brushing and nicking her sensitive skin. Rukia tried her best to follow in his footsteps, avoiding all the surrounding danger, "No." she finally responded, with a sigh, "It's fine, don't worry about me." She really did hate it when people fretted over her well-being; she never wanted to depend on anyone or display even a glance of weakness. Growling with displeasure, Rukia plucked the frail leaf out of her hair, flinging it angrily behind her as she stared menacingly at her captor's back.

Ashido couldn't help but smirk, he was amused at her rising temper, he could sense her frustration even if she was several feet behind him. Every once in a while he would glance behind to see the fuming girl as she flung all the nuisances out of her way, her eyes burning with anger.

"Where are you taking me, anyway?" she yelled over the ruffling leaves as they battled the turbulent winds that surrounded them. Ashido ignored her demands, closing his eyes briefly as the wind fluttered lightly against his flesh, tempting him to follow its wishes. After leaving the clustered forest Ashido walked a few steps before stopping in his tracks, the familiar surroundings silently welcoming as he stood tall before them. Rukia, who had been staring at the ground as her feet continued to move, made a small gasp as she almost ran into his sturdy back.

Blinking in confusion at his sudden stop, Rukia lifted her eyes from his back, stepping to her left to view the scenery that had captured all his attention. She felt herself smiling as her eyes took in the scene around her; they were standing several feet from a clear and crisp body of water. Every once an awhile little ripples would form where the cascading waterfall pummeled gallons of water into the pool, the sharp rocks jutting out of the surface as it sliced the contacting water.

All around them was a large expanse of land surrounded by the tallest pine trees Rukia had ever seen, the tree tops circling the scenery, letting the piece of sky peer down at the beauty. She stared in awe at the magnificent view; even the majestic, puffy white clouds seemed to admire their own reflections in the clear blue water below. Ashido inhaled the crisp air, the smell of pine and breeze filled his senses, this was his favorite place in the whole forest. It was calm, quiet and rarely discovered by the humans; he guessed they never ventured far into the woods for fear of him or other creatures that inhabited the dark forest. Rukia closed her eyes briefly, the wind carrying the mist of the waterfall as it tickled her senses, but, she returned her attention back to Ashido.

"Why did you take me here?" she asked, confusion gracing her features as she glanced at his nonchalant expression, his eyes glued on the running water. Ashido refused to meet her gaze, "Follow me." He stated, starting to walk once more. Rukia glanced around at the scenery one last time, she found herself yearning to stay there, to immerse herself in the clear water, to immerse herself in carelessness and forget all about her troubles. She watched the wind whirl around her, lifting the leaves from their place on the ground and carrying them, almost in a dance, all around her tiny form.

Pealing her eyes off of the dancing leaves Rukia followed behind Ashido as he walked towards the waterfall, his eyes glued on the trembling water before him. Following the outline of the water, Ashido walked further on, reaching the very corner of the water, the waterfall several feet to his left. Facing the fall, Ashido closed his eyes briefly, feeling Rukia pause behind him, her eyes searching his form curiously. Setting his hand on the cool, rock wall Ashido waited as light illuminated under his hand, the sound of moving rocks flooded their senses. Rukia watched in awe as a large slab of rock grew out of the wall, creating a make-shift path behind the waterfall.

Ashido calmly stepped up onto the rock, reaching out for Rukia's hand, watching the shocked look on her face as she stared at his extended hand. Glancing up into his eyes, Rukia slid her hand in his own; he pulled her up onto the ledge before he ceased his grip. Walking behind, Rukia followed him, scaling the large rock slab as they made their way to the middle of the wall where the rock path ended. The waterfall felt like a curtain, shielding them from the rest of the world as they hid behind its blanket of falling water.

Ashido stopped in his tracks, and Rukia watched his actions with curiosity, waiting for something as amazing as before to happen. Ashido closed his eyes, mentally picturing the desired outcome as his hands came up to rest gently on the sturdy rock wall before him. Rukia cocked her head to the side, her mouth falling open as she witnessed the supernatural light that circulated around his hands, crawling and twisting itself on the surrounding wall like greedy vines. The white light became almost blinding as it invaded her senses but she focused her squinting eyes on the sight before her, not wanting to miss such a magical sight. It was like a dream, she realized, as the wall seemed to crumble under the force of the light, submitting to its power as Rukia's whole line of vision was surrounded with that light.

She glanced behind and she could faintly see the waterfall as it was promptly swallowed by the blast of light, all other sounds of the outside world going silent; there was just pure, white light. Rukia felt like her head was spinning and she squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for a fall or explosion of some sort; but none came. Confused, Rukia popped open her eyes and her breath caught in her throat.

All around her was…bliss. Her eyes scanned the healthy green valleys, the large hills jutting up in the distance like green waves in an ocean of land. The wind was calm and soothing as it caressed her cheek and fled into the air, lifting flower petals with it. Butterflies landed on the flowers that clustered all around the valley, fluttering their wings with delight as they appreciated the flower's scent. The sun shone brightly, smiling down at the little piece of heaven that lay beneath it, making the blanket of perfect grass shine a bright green.

Rukia sighed with pleasure, her eyes drinking in the sight of the valley, it was so beautiful…it was breathtaking. Ashido watched with a smirk as her face lit up, her eyes shining with delight as she viewed the valley he escaped to occasionally. He gave the scenery a quick glance, he did appreciate the beauty, the tranquility of this place, but there was something about the woods near the village that drew him there. He didn't necessarily like staying in the woods anyway, but he felt as though it was where he belonged, a place he was silently confined to.

"Wow! This place…this place is…amazing," she breathed, looking intently at the scene ahead of her. Ashido smirked and shrugged, "Yeah, it's pretty nice, I guess…" he concluded as he began to walk down the nearest hill. Rukia shot him a confused glance, before looking behind her one last time, noting that there was no sign of the rock wall they had just entered through. All behind her was just space, empty space of nothing but flowing hills and light blue skies. Turning towards the place where the wall once was, Rukia reached her hand out hesitantly, groping around in the air for the solid structure. But, her hand just grasped nothing; it came into contact with nothing as it searched the surrounding area.

Panicking, the thought that there was no way out just crossed Rukia's mind; she knew she didn't have the skills necessary to escape if she needed to. Turning back to where she had last seen Ashido, she watched as his dark maroon hair disappeared as he descended down the tall hill. Pulling in a shaky breath, Rukia began to move her feet, stumbling down the hill quickly after his retreating form. He walked in a steady pace as he ascended up a neighboring hill as Rukia followed several feet behind him. Rukia glanced all around herself, and when they reached the top of the hill, she scanned the area shielding her eyes from the powerful sun as she took in the sight. 'What is he leading me to?' She asked herself, there doesn't seem to be anything for miles'_…_ she observed. "Um, Ashido?" she asked him hesitantly, her voice low as she trailed behind him.

"What is it?" he asked automatically, sensing how tense she was.

"Yeah, where exactly are we going? I don't see anything for miles…and if there is something…what is it?" she asked him, studying the back of his form as he continued his journey, his confident strides displaying his movements as that of pure habit.

Ashido sighed but refused to meet her gaze, "Like I said before, you ask way too many questions." He smirked. "Besides, I can see it from here…it's just up ahead," he assured her calmly. Rukia spit out a loud, "huh?" as her eyes followed his finger that pointed to a direction in the distance.

Rolling her eyes with a huff, Rukia chuckled, "Right, another invisible place. Why am I not surprised?" she retorted, crossing her arms stubbornly as she continued to follow behind him silently. Ashido smirked, glancing back at the girl quickly, taking in the way she avoided his gaze, her arms crossed and her nose raised snootily in the air.

He couldn't help the amusement that overcame his being, couldn't help but observe how odd this small girl trailing behind him was. He figured that, like any other human, she'd be paranoid and scared out of her wits by now…but no, she remained stubborn and bitter. She was an odd one indeed; she walked with this air of dignity around her, a wall that refused to crumble under adversity.

Yet, he didn't have to drag her here; kicking and screaming but she didn't necessarily follow his every whim either. So contradicting. He didn't know whether he should scare her into submission or gradually gain her trust…which one was better? Which one would work more on her? These questions paraded throughout his mind, yet Ashido never realized that he hadn't had a plan yet. He was too busy thinking of how odd and contradicting this girl was, yet he hadn't established what he needed her for. Is it need, or does it fall under the category of want? Desire? These were the questions his mind was too preoccupied to ask. Too preoccupied to consider her fate.

Right now, it'd be safe to assume that Ashido is a man of many impulses. Every single element of his day to day life is built and composed of pure, animalistic impulses. He lost an ounce of his human thought every day it seemed…until it was likely that Ashido was governed by pure instinct. This might explain the rash decision to abduct a girl he laid eyes on only for a brief period of time.

After what seemed like hours of this silent trekking, Ashido stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes alert and his mind focused on the task at hand. Rukia simply stood behind him like a child cowering behind his mother in the presence of a stranger. She didn't know how to feel, she didn't know what to think. She mentally slapped herself for not composing decent thoughts or emotions…shouldn't she fight him? Run away? Yell, scream, kick…anything? But no, Rukia Kuchiki simply stood behind him, obeying his silent wishes as he worked at uncovering the invisible location.

Had she chosen to squeeze her eyes shut, she would've missed the explosion of light and sparks that exploded in the empty space before the demi-god. His hands outstretched, held still and calm in the thin air as he closed his eyes in concentration. Rukia stared at the scene in awe, the beautiful swirl of amber and magenta clashed to create a sunset of colors in front of her. The air seemed to transform into pieces of time itself, each piece contorting and fleeing to their proper places as he continued the ceremony.

The lights gave way to a solid structure composed of the most beautifully polished wood she had ever set her sights on. The wood caught the sunlight's attention and playfully shined right back at the glob of light in the sky. Rukia's eyes searched the perfectly constructed wooden cabin, it was one large and perfect square that seemed to extend its size farther behind it. The cabin was bare in the front except for one shiny door that stood exactly in the middle, standing tall with its slightly lighter shade of brown.

"It's just a cabin." Ashido stated, breaking through the thick silence. "You act like you've just discovered the meaning of life or something," he joked stoically. Rukia closed her mouth and swallowed, gazing at the marooned-haired man from the corner of her eyes. His eyes were set ahead of him as he stared blankly at the cabin, his eyes displaying a sense of familiarity. Rukia had no way of understanding that those sad eyes have landed on that building every time he was forced into hiding once more. Ashido sighed at the thought of being forced into this cabin again, he would really miss roaming the woods and messing with the humans…stupid entertainment seemingly the only element keeping him lusting for life.

"I don't understand," Rukia commented as he led her within the cabin. "Why are we here...In this place?" Ashido shrugged solemnly as he walked steadily behind her, her eyes scanning the interior of the house.

"This is the spirit world." He said simply, as if that statement clarified everything.

"Spirit world?" she asked her face turning towards his. Eyes filled to the brim with confusion.

Ashido sighed and ran his tan hand through his hair briefly, tousling the maroon strands lazily. "It is the dimension between that of the gods and that of the living. It is impossible to explain. It is nowhere, but everywhere at once. It is life, but then it is death. It is an illusion yet it is completely real. A mere human cannot grasp the logic of this place."

* * *

I know this chapter was pretty short...but I promise the plot will move on much quicker in the next chapter, so stay tuned!


End file.
